A Hermeneutic Study of the Minangkabau Proverb “Raso jo pareso” and Its Relevance to Counselor Empathy and Professional Judgment in Global Counseling

Abstract

 Global counseling practice faces increasingly complex multicultural challenges, requiring counselors to balance empathy and professional judgment. However, many mainstream counseling approaches are often less responsive to local cultural values, creating a gap between professional standards and cultural sensitivity. This study aims to analyze the Minangkabau philosophy raso jo pareso and its relevance to counselor empathy and professional judgment in global counseling. This research employs a qualitative approach using Gadamerian hermeneutics, focusing on the interpretation of cultural texts through a dialogical process between local wisdom and modern professional contexts. Data were obtained from authoritative literature on Minangkabau philosophy and contemporary counseling theories. The findings reveal that raso represents the affective dimension aligned with counselor empathy, emphasizing deep emotional sensitivity and cultural humility, while pareso reflects the cognitive-reflective dimension associated with professional judgment, ensuring objectivity, ethical reasoning, and critical reflection. The integration of both concepts forms a dynamic balance between emotional engagement and rational analysis in counseling practice. Raso jo pareso can be reconstructed as an indigenous conceptual framework with universal relevance, offering a culturally grounded yet globally applicable model to enhance humanistic, reflective, and culturally responsive counseling practices.